KMT launches selection process for candidates

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday launched its nomination process for the legislative elections, vowing to make candidate selection as transparent as possible.

KMT Culture and Communication Commission director Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) said the party would negotiate with prospective candidates and conduct public opinion polls to determine the final candidates where such talks failed to result in agreement.

“We will make sure the polls are conducted effectively and accurately. The nomination process will be transparent, and we are confident that the process can withstand any challenges,” he said at KMT headquarters.

The KMT will not hold primaries to choose candidates for the elections.

Su said the party would first complete the nomination process in districts that do not require much negotiation and is scheduled to have nominated all candidates by May 21.

Following the KMT’s defeat by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in legislative by-elections in Greater Kaohsiung and Greater Tainan on Saturday, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), in his capacity as KMT chairman, told the party to make more of an effort to finalize the selection of candidates in the south and said that rather than limiting nominees to members from local communities, the party should seek talent from a wider area to choose candidates.

The legislative elections are likely to be held in December or January next year, based on existing rules.

There has been speculation that the KMT would work to combine the legislative elections and presidential election, which is scheduled for March next year. The DPP has said it would be amenable to such a move, but that further discussions were required.

The Central Election Commission has denied such speculation, saying that a final decision is likely in June.